Adjustable block for frogs.



B. T. GIBBS, la. ADJUSTABLE BLOCK FOR FRoGs.

APPLICATION FILED APR.22.1915.

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B. T. GIBBS, JR. ADJUSTABLE BLOCK FOR FRoGs.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 22. 1915.

Patented Aug. 24,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

.uLuMBm PLANncRAPx-x Co., WASHINGTON. D. c.

UNTTFD STATES PATENT FFTE@ BENEDICT T. GIBBS, JR., OF CHICAGO HEIGHTS,ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MORDEN FROG & CROSSING WORKS, OF CHICAGO,ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ADJUSTABLE BLOCK FOR IEROGS.

Application led April 22, 1915.

To al] whom it may concern Be it known that I, BENEDIGT T. Grens, J r.,a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago Heights, in thecounty of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Ad justable Blocks for Frogs, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to railroad tracks and to the use therein inconnection with switch tracks of hard metal frogs well known in the arthaving extending from one end two separated diverging projectionsbetween which two ordinary track rails are to be placed at an angle toeach other and secured to the frog. It is common practice to placebetween such two diverging rails a wedge block performing the doublefunction of forcing the rails into good .contact with the frogprojection and iilling the apex of the angular space between the railswhile said space is sufiiciently narrow so that the foot of a workman ortrespasser could get caught between the rail end portions. `When aone-piece solid metal spacing block is used provided with transverseholes for bolts securing the frog rails and spacing blocks together, itis impossible within the financial limits imposed on the art to make theparts sufiiciently accurate so that they will go together properly inthe first instance and so that they will remain in adjustment undervarious conditions of wear of the parts.

The object of this invention is to provide a two-part wedge device forfilling the space between the rail ends, said wedge parts beingadjustable with reference to each other and one of them being adjustablewith reference to the bolts for securing allthe parts in place so thatin installing the device the parts may all be fitted together in properrelationship without undue expense and that later adjustments may bemade to compensate for wear as it takes place.

Another object is to make the device adjustable without removing -itfrom position between the rails.

The invention consists in a device capable of carrying out the foregoingobjects, which can be easily and conveniently made and installed, whichis satisfactory in use and not readily liable to get out of order.

The invention further consists in the con- Specication of LettersPatent.

Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

Serial No. 23,008.

struction and features hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar numerals indicate the sameparts throughout the several views, Figure l is a plan view of an entirerailroad frog having the rails which are attached at the left hand en dthereof equipped with the device of this invention. Fig. 2 is anenlarged plan view` partially in section of the wedge or spacing deviceof this invention removed from the frog and the adjacent rails. Fig. 31s an enlarged plan view of the left hand end of Fig. l showing thedevice of this inventionapplied to the frog. Fig. 4 is a transversesectional end view taken on the line of Fig. l. Figs. 5 and 6 areperspective views of the two parts of the wedge separated from eachother. Fig. 7 is an end v view of the wedge device in assembledposition.

A hard metal frog l0, shown in Fig. l, 1s only one of various frogs ofthis general typewhich might be shown to illustrate the application ofthis invention in connection with its two rearwardly extending,angularly placed, projections l2 and 14, shown enlarged in Fig. 3,between which the rails 16 and 18 are rigidly secured in place.

The spacer block or wedge of this invention comprises the two parts 20and 20, clearly shown in perspective in Figs. 5 and 6, and is, asclearly shown in Fig. 3, made with its side edges 22 and 24 of the sameangularity with reference to each other as the angle of the rail 16-l8when they are in proper position within the frog. This wedge is made ofsuch a height, as clearly appears in Fig. 4, that it fills all the spacebetween the ends of the rails 16-18 except that the upper surface 26 isrecessed to permit the passage of the wheel flanges on the wheels whichtravel along the tracks 16 or 18.

The parts 20 and 20a of the wedge are separated one from the other alongthe preferably substantially straight line 28 made preferablylsubstantially parallel to one of the angular faces 22 or 24 of thewedge, in the particular case here illustrated 24. One of the wedgeparts is provided on its face 28, just referred to, with a projectinglug 30 adapted to lie and travel in a correspondingly formed notch orrecess 32 in the other part. In the case here illustrated, this recess32 is in part 2O2L and the lug or rib 30 is on part 2O but, obviously,these locations may be reversed without ldeparting from this invention.At the end ofthe wedge, means is provided for detachably securing thetwo parts 20 and 20ZL together in different selected positions withreference to each other. In the case here illustrated, this meansconsists in providing. a pin or cotter pin 34 adapted to pass throughone particular hole 36 in one of the wedge parts anda selected one ofseveral differently placed 4holes 38 in an lenlarged portion lof l'thelug 30, `heretofore referred to. In the particular case hereillustrated, the holes 38 are staggered with reference to each otheralong adjacent parallel lines in order to make the effective distancebetween successive holes shorter than as though Athey were pla-cedon onestraight li-ne parallel to face 28. In view of this `disposition of theholes 38, the hole 36 is made in the form of an elongated slot extendingtransversely of part 20, as shown.

The spacing wedge block, just referred to, is like many prior devices ofthis character secured in place by bolts 40 passing through the block,adjacent rails 16 and 18 `and the frog projections 12 and 14. Thesebolts 4L() pass through ordinary round holes 42 in part 20iL made simplylarge enough yto let the bolts go through in the `ordinary manner, whileinthe caseof part 20 of the wedge, holes 4/1 are provided-elongated inthe direction of the block, as clearly appears in the figures, so thatwithin proper limits the portion 20 of the block may move lengthwise ofportion 2O2L without being stopped by the bolts 4:0.

The result of the construction just 4described is that when the wedgeblock is put in place between the rai-ls, as illustrated in the igures,and it is found any adjustment is necessary in order to make it litright and do its work, it is only necessary for the operator to removethe cotter pin 34 and move part 20 of the wedge to the position whichwill 'make the entire wedge 'lit properly and then insert the cotter pinin the nearest adjacent hole 38, heretofore described. This adjustmentmay `be made in either direction and it may, ofcourse, be made and, infact, should 'be made once at thetime all the parts are lirst assembled.Vhen wear takes place the cotter pin 'is removed and the portion 2O vis, after irst loosening the bolts 10, driven -up and the cotter lpinvreplaced in a new hole 38, all this without removing the block from itsyposition :in the track.

Having ythus vdescribed my invention, what I claim as new'and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. I-n 'combination with two angu'larly placed rails and transversebolts lfor securing them together; a wedge shaped spacing and fillerblock between said rails, pierced by said bolts, and made in two partspermitting one of said parts to slide while in place 'between' the railswith reference to the other in the direction of the length of the rail,the holes, through the movable block part, through which said boltspass, being elongated in the direction of the length of 4the rails topermit said movement, and means for detachably securing said wedge blockparts together in selected different positions -withvreference to eachother.

'2. In combination with vtwo angular-ly 'placed rai-ls and transversebolts for secur- 80 ing them together; a wedge shaped spacing and fillerblock between saidrails, pierced -bysaid bolts, and made in two partspermitting one of said parts to slide while in place 'between the railswith reference to the other in the direction of the length of the rail,the holes, through the movable block part, through which said boltspass, being elongated in the direction of the length of the rails topermit said movement, while the -holes in the 'other block part aremerely of normal size to receive said bolts, and means for detachablysecuring said wedge block parts together in selected different positionswith reference to each other.

3. In combination with a railway track frog having extending from oneend two separate diverging projections, track rails angular to eachother placed between said frog projections, and bolts passing throughsaid'frog projections and rails for securing them together; awedgeshaped spacing' and filler block for forcing said rails intocontact with said frog projections, between said rails, pierced by saidbolts, and `made in two parts, permitting one of-said parts to slidewhile in place between the Vrails with reference to the other in thedirection of the length' of the rails, the holes 'through said movableblock part through rwhich said. bolts pass being elongated in thedirection of the length of the rails to permit said movement, and meansfor detachably securing said wedge block parts together in selecteddifferent positions with reference to1115 each other. Y

Il. In combination with a railway track froghavingl extending from onevendi two separate diverging projections, track rails angular to eachother placed between said movable block part, through which said boltspass being elongated in the direction of the length of the rails topermit said movement while the holes in the frog projections, the railsand the other block part through which the bolts pass are lmerely ofnormal size to receive said bolts, and means for detachably securingsaid wedge block parts together in selected different positions withreference to each other.

5. In combination with two angularly placed rails and transverse boltsfor securing them together; a wedge shaped spacing and filler blockbetween said rails, pierced by said bolts, and made in two partspermitting one of said parts to move with reference to the other in thedirection of the length of the rail, the holes, through the movableblock part, through which said bolts pass, being elongated in thedirection of the length of the rails to permit said movement, a guidingflange on one of said block parts along the surface of separationbetween them lying in a corresponding recess in the other part, andmeans acting through said flange and the part in which it lies forselectively securing the block parts in different positions withreference to each other.

6. In cbmbination with two angularly placed rails and transverse boltsfor securing them together; a wedge shaped spacing and filler blockbetween said rails, pierced by said bolts, and made in two partspermitting one of said parts to move with reference to the other in thedirection of the length of the rail, the holes, through the movableblock part, through which said bolts pass, being elongated in thedirection of the length of the rails to permit said movement, while theholes in the other block part are merely of normal size to receive saidbolts, a guiding flange on one of said block parts along the surface ofseparation between them lying in a corresponding recess in the otherpart, and means acting through said flange and the part in which it liesfor selectively securing the block parts in different positions withreference to each other.

7 In a device of the class described, two members contacting each otherin a straight line movable with reference to each other along said line,a flange or rib on one of said members entering a recess in the othermember to prevent lateral displacement of said members with reference toeach other while permitting said longitudinal movement, and meanscoperating with said flange and the one of said parts in which it movesfor selectively adjustably securing said part in different positionswith reference to each other.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two witnesses. ,i

BENEDICT T. GIBBS, JR.

lVitnesses:

DWIGHT B. GHEEVER, MAX S. RosENzwnrG.

G'opies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

